Comments on: She died in the bright lights of an ED room http://nursingassistants.net/2008/01/24/she-died-in-the-bright-lights-of-an-ed-room/ Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:42:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Holly http://nursingassistants.net/2008/01/24/she-died-in-the-bright-lights-of-an-ed-room/comment-page-1/#comment-39051 Holly Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:11:27 +0000 http://nursingassistants.net/2008/01/24/she-died-in-the-bright-lights-of-an-ed-room/#comment-39051 Hello Stephen, I am sorry to say the answer is probably NO. We try to do the best we can. But with the amounts of work expected, and the numbers of staff being asked to perform, it all cannot get done. The people who are close to death get the worst of it where I work anyway. There is no one to hold hand or just sit with one who is in the process of dying. If the family doesn't come in, the person is pretty much on their own. I have gone in on my shifts off, days off, and held hand without pay as it was thr right thing to do. But then my own health suffered, and chores around my house did as well. So I stopped coming in on my own time. Hospice isn't a help either because they cannot provide someone to stay with the people either. They do good with controlling pain and things like it. But actually just being htere- no. Hello Stephen,
I am sorry to say the answer is probably NO.

We try to do the best we can. But with the amounts of work expected, and the numbers of staff being asked to perform, it all cannot get done. The people who are close to death get the worst of it where I work anyway. There is no one to hold hand or just sit with one who is in the process of dying. If the family doesn’t come in, the person is pretty much on their own. I have gone in on my shifts off, days off, and held hand without pay as it was thr right thing to do. But then my own health suffered, and chores around my house did as well. So I stopped coming in on my own time.

Hospice isn’t a help either because they cannot provide someone to stay with the people either. They do good with controlling pain and things like it. But actually just being htere- no.

]]> By: Stephen Russell http://nursingassistants.net/2008/01/24/she-died-in-the-bright-lights-of-an-ed-room/comment-page-1/#comment-39048 Stephen Russell Mon, 28 Jan 2008 11:26:03 +0000 http://nursingassistants.net/2008/01/24/she-died-in-the-bright-lights-of-an-ed-room/#comment-39048 I had the pleasure of working in skilled facilities as a CNA, I also had the opportunity to hold the hands of dying residents that were DNR in the ED. In the moment of panic, I too had experinced the family members go against the wishes of a DNR and request they be transfered to the nearest ED. How frustrating this can be for the staff. Our job as care takers is to provide the level of comfort during all medical emergencies and extend this passion to the family members as well. The greatest concern I had experience from family members, is wheter or not we the staff are providing the levels of comfort to their dying family member? The question I propose is, am I doing all I can with the gift that I receive to provide those measures of care? Stephen Russell ED-Tech I had the pleasure of working in skilled facilities as a CNA, I also had the opportunity to hold the hands of dying residents that were DNR in the ED. In the moment of panic, I too had experinced the family members go against the wishes of a DNR and request they be transfered to the nearest ED. How frustrating this can be for the staff. Our job as care takers is to provide the level of comfort during all medical emergencies and extend this passion to the family members as well. The greatest concern I had experience from family members, is wheter or not we the staff are providing the levels of comfort to their dying family member? The question I propose is, am I doing all I can with the gift that I receive to provide those measures of care?

Stephen Russell
ED-Tech

]]> By: Cheryl http://nursingassistants.net/2008/01/24/she-died-in-the-bright-lights-of-an-ed-room/comment-page-1/#comment-39042 Cheryl Sun, 27 Jan 2008 23:19:59 +0000 http://nursingassistants.net/2008/01/24/she-died-in-the-bright-lights-of-an-ed-room/#comment-39042 Oh that's just a heartbreaking story. I can't say anything more. It should not have happened. Oh that’s just a heartbreaking story.

I can’t say anything more. It should not have happened.

]]> By: Patti http://nursingassistants.net/2008/01/24/she-died-in-the-bright-lights-of-an-ed-room/comment-page-1/#comment-39036 Patti Sun, 27 Jan 2008 15:06:59 +0000 http://nursingassistants.net/2008/01/24/she-died-in-the-bright-lights-of-an-ed-room/#comment-39036 What I see is nurses who panic, and it's because of families. Some family just cannot accept the impending death of Grammah, so the nursing home feels compelled to ship her out just to "make sure"--- and it's really not right. In this case it does sound like the facility should have done more sooner. I can't say much though because of the lack of detail. What I see is nurses who panic, and it’s because of families. Some family just cannot accept the impending death of Grammah, so the nursing home feels compelled to ship her out just to “make sure”— and it’s really not right.

In this case it does sound like the facility should have done more sooner. I can’t say much though because of the lack of detail.

]]> By: Heather http://nursingassistants.net/2008/01/24/she-died-in-the-bright-lights-of-an-ed-room/comment-page-1/#comment-39025 Heather Sat, 26 Jan 2008 21:43:55 +0000 http://nursingassistants.net/2008/01/24/she-died-in-the-bright-lights-of-an-ed-room/#comment-39025 Thanks for your comment Donna. I have to share Patti's experiences with this; I too have seen nursing staff panic and make the call for a transfer to an ER. I have also seen families do the same, but the MD stops them before the call is made. Either way it is too bad. No one should die like this. It's an unfair world, full of unfair situations and realities. My other thought is why did this nursing home wait so long? A person with a high fever and other signs of infection need not wait four days to be seen, especially one who resides in a nursing home. Thanks for your comment Donna.

I have to share Patti’s experiences with this; I too have seen nursing staff panic and make the call for a transfer to an ER. I have also seen families do the same, but the MD stops them before the call is made.

Either way it is too bad. No one should die like this. It’s an unfair world, full of unfair situations and realities. My other thought is why did this nursing home wait so long? A person with a high fever and other signs of infection need not wait four days to be seen, especially one who resides in a nursing home.

]]> By: Donna Swicklik, RN http://nursingassistants.net/2008/01/24/she-died-in-the-bright-lights-of-an-ed-room/comment-page-1/#comment-39023 Donna Swicklik, RN Sat, 26 Jan 2008 17:26:13 +0000 http://nursingassistants.net/2008/01/24/she-died-in-the-bright-lights-of-an-ed-room/#comment-39023 As an RN in wonderful skilled nursing facility, these situations are often frustrating. We are more than capable of caring for very ill and dying residents. We send residents to the ED when they have a treatable conditions that require the resources we do not have. We feel strongly that our residents who are DNR's and who are dying, should die with us - in their "home". However, often family members who have the power of attorney (POA) panic and demand the resident be sent to the ED - even though they know they are going against the wishes of the resident. Often the resident then dies with strangers "in the bright lights of an ED room" If it us up to the staff at the facility where I work, we would prefer to keep are residents with us where we know they will be provided with loving care through the dying process. As an RN in wonderful skilled nursing facility, these situations are often frustrating. We are more than capable of caring for very ill and dying residents. We send residents to the ED when they have a treatable conditions that require the resources we do not have.

We feel strongly that our residents who are DNR’s and who are dying, should die with us – in their “home”. However, often family members who have the power of attorney (POA) panic and demand the resident be sent to the ED – even though they know they are going against the wishes of the resident. Often the resident then dies with strangers “in the bright lights of an ED room”

If it us up to the staff at the facility where I work, we would prefer to keep are residents with us where we know they will be provided with loving care through the dying process.

]]> By: Holly http://nursingassistants.net/2008/01/24/she-died-in-the-bright-lights-of-an-ed-room/comment-page-1/#comment-39020 Holly Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:09:10 +0000 http://nursingassistants.net/2008/01/24/she-died-in-the-bright-lights-of-an-ed-room/#comment-39020 I think they opt to send them out in hopes that maybe something can be done to prevent a death. From the sounds of this, the woman had been very sick for several days. She should have had treatment long before this final trip to an ED. A bigger question for me is how come the nursing homes cannot manage people who are this ill but who are dying at the same time? It is cruel to transfer old sick people. They should just make them as comfortable as possible, call in family or friends, or staff even, to stay with them. Let them go in peace. I think they opt to send them out in hopes that maybe something can be done to prevent a death. From the sounds of this, the woman had been very sick for several days. She should have had treatment long before this final trip to an ED.

A bigger question for me is how come the nursing homes cannot manage people who are this ill but who are dying at the same time? It is cruel to transfer old sick people. They should just make them as comfortable as possible, call in family or friends, or staff even, to stay with them. Let them go in peace.

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